When footballers are quoted in newspapers these days you have to wonder if they are talking through the mouths of smooth talking agents. Netherlands midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has joined Tottenham Hotspur just two weeks after claiming it would be a step down to play for any Premier League club except Manchester United. It begs the question of whether he was being genuine or if was he just giving a ‘come on’ from his agent in a desperate attempt to attract an offer from manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

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The much anticipated new 25 player squad rule which came into being at 5pm on Tuesday has been little more than a non event as far as Manchester United were concerned. As the club reported on its official website “All United players, barring those currently out on loan, are eligible to play for the Reds in the Premier League this season. United’s Champions League squad has also been submitted to UEFA, European football’s governing body and now has to be verified before being confirmed.”

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Despite critics writing off Manchester United’s recent signing Bebe as a failure within days of arriving at Carrington, the 20 year old was given a vote of confidence by Portugal with his inclusion in the Under 21 squad to face England in the European Championship match on Friday night. It should be an interesting clash for United fans as the striker may well be lining up against team mate Chris Smalling who will be in the centre of the English defence.

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It has only been one week since Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson declared that his young midfielder Tom Cleverley was remaining at Old Trafford this season rather than being sent out on another loan spell. It therefore came as a surprise when it was announced on the final day of the transfer window that the 21 year old agreed to spend the remainder of the 2010-11 season on loan at Wigan Athletic. That decision has caused a certain amount of anger towards Sir Alex amongst some United supporters, an anger that Truly Reds believe is totally unjustified.

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If previous meetings between Manchester United and West Ham are any indication, there should be plenty of goals put away on Saturday. The two clubs have often turned on the entertainment with scorelines of 5-3 at Upton Park and 6-0 at Old Trafford but the 7-1 on the first April Fools day of the ‘noughties’ stands out as the biggest defeat the Hammers ever suffered at the hands of United. One of the highlights was Paul Scholes’ first hat trick for the club but a young Rio Ferdinand lining up in the West Ham defence must have wondered what hit him. Perhaps the biggest sympathy must go to Hammers goalkeeper Craig Forrest who was on the receiving end of the heaviest Premiership defeat in history when Ipswich went down 9-0 to United five years earlier.

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The much awaited draw for the European Champions League has given Manchester United an eminently winnable group which should see them qualify for the knockout stages without harming their Premiership hopes. But it will by no means be an easy task – no European Cup group ever is. Two leg matches against Glasgow Rangers, Spains Valencia and Turkeys Champions League debutants Bursaspor should nevertheless see United getting out of  Group C successfully.

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